Factory-fire-drill system.



D. G. DEE.

FACTORY FIRE DRILL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. I914.

1,225,937., Patented Mayl5, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- imme/whoa VwZZ [7156a D. G. DEE.

FACTORY FIRE DRILL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.25| I914- Patented May 15, 1917.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- DAVID G. DEE, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROCHESTER H. ROGERS, CF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FACTORY-FIRE-DRILL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 115, 1917.

Application filed February 25, 1914. Serial No. 826,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID G. DEE, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Factory- Fire-Drill Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a. part or": this specification, and to the refereiu'e-numerals marked thereon.

lrly present invention has for its object to provide a system of electric circuits and apparatus adapted to be used in conjunction therewith applicable particularly for use in factories, school buildings and similar places for sounding alarms in case of fire and which is also adapted to be used in conducting the fire drills which in many States and municipalities are required to be held periodically. The apparatus is further intended to be associated with a subscribers telephone circuit leading-to the central office or eX change, and the invention further comprehends the inclusion of additional apparatus and circuits with those previously men tioned whereby trouble of any kind, such as grounds, short circuits or breaks in the main alarm circuit will be reported locally at the point of installation, and also at the central telephone oilice. This trouble apparatus is also so arranged that when the fire drills are being conducted it is rendered inoperatire. To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l is diagrammatic illustration of a fire alarm circuit and apparatus therefor, constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 9 a similar riew showing a moc iiication thereof.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several. figures indicate the same parts.

In illustrating my present invention l have shown the apparatus associated with.

a telephone line coinprs ng the main con ductors l and 2, which, it will be understood, extend to the central ofllce or exchange equipped with the usual s vitchboard apparatus comprising among other things a pilot light by which the central oliice operator is advised of an incoming signal which is lighted when the telephone circuit is closed and extinguished when the latter is open. The loading in w i "es which connect the telephone subsc ibefis talking set to the conductors are indicated by 1 and 2 and it is across these rires that the combined alarm and drill system circuits are bridged.

Au alarm or the character described applied to a large factory building or school will preferably comprise a plurality of automatically operated. fire alarm signal boxes of which I have illustrated two, indicating them as A and B which, it will be understood, comprise code wheels driven by a spring actuated clock train or otherwise which are normally prevented from operation by a suitable restraining device a, b which may be released by the energizing of their respecti e electro-i'nagnets A, B located in normally open a circuits which may be closed either by push buttons located at convenient points, or by thermostats operating automatically to close the circuit when given to ierature is reached in their respec c es. The circuits of these ewe locali two magnets are similar and each may be extended to different points of the building, although in practice i prefer to dedicate one alarm boa: mechanism to iven locality, such as one floor of a building or one department of av factory, in which event the corresponding circuit for the operating magnet A would be exteuced only over this assigned locality. Further, each of the code wheels may be prorided with separate groups of notches or projections 'for controlling the operation of the circuit contacts, whereby impulses of current are despatched, the first group being designed to cause the signal, when operated. to indicate the origin of the fire, and the second group being utilized to cause the signal sounded to indicate the building exit to be used. To describe this feature more specifically let it be assumed that the boX mechanism A is located on the second floor of a factory building, then the first group of notches, indicated by a would cause the pair of contacts a to be closed and opened twice causing two blows to be struck upon the different signal gongs throughout the factory, the second group of notches or recesses serving, as indicated in the present instance, to cause said bells to be rung three times, which, we will say, indicates that exit is to be made from the building from the north side. Corresponding sets of contacts on the code wheel 13, indicated by Z) and b will indicate first that the alarm "as sounded by reason of fire occurring on the third floor of the building, and that escape from the latter is to be made by means of the south exit. The pair of contacts operated by box mechanism B is indirated by 5 and both these and the contacts a are arranged to close an alarm circuit comprising the wires G and D, the first of which is connected to one side of the local battery X while the la 'ter may be traced around one side D of a loop containing the factory signal bells to one terminal of the relay coil E, thence, as indicated by D to r'orm the other conductor of the signal loop, which terminates at the other pole of the battery X. The signal loop may be of any desired length and interposed between the conductors D and D are a plurality of fire alarm bells F, F F F, all of which will be operated whenever the contacts a or b are closed.

The loop circuit D, D is under continuone test so that any condition arising thereon Whether a ground, short circuit or a break will be indicated, a local trouble alarm G is provided and a telephone -o1lice trouble indicator H is also provided. The local alarm G is placed in the circuit 9, g supplied with current from the battery as constituting a constantly open circuit controlled by the contacts and g on the relay E. The other indicator H comprises a magnet h arranged in the circuit with the conductor 2 to which it is connected by wire it and the wire 7L2 leading to the normally open contacts k 71, which latter is connected by the wire it to the conductor 1. The magnet 7L has an armature 71, in the lead wires 2 which is normally in engagement with a back contact if, and which, when pulled up, engages the contact 7& connected with the wire 7L2 whereby the magnet h is short-circuited and the vibration of the armature h is caused to be continuous. Also ar ranged on the relay E are two additional pairs of normally open contacts which, when closed, control the supply of current from the battery X to the two sides of the alarm loop as follows: Leading from one side of.

the battery X is the wire 00 terminating in the spring 00 which, when released, engages the spring :0 which is tied to the wire 1) by the wire at. Leading from the other wire D is the wire 11 connected to the spring 3 which is adapted to engage the spring 3 it is also connected with the wire D" at the other end of the loop. The purpose of these last two pairs of contacts are to connect the battery to both ends of the loop circuit so that in the event either one or both of the conductors D, D are severed it will still be possible to ring the bells F, F F llwhen one of the alarm box mechanisms is actuated. or when the alarm circuit is closed manually for a test or for lire drill purposes.

In order that the bells in loop circuit may be operated primarily for tire drill purposes or tested n'ia-nually to indicate the condition of operativeness 1 provide a pair of contacts is, 70 connected respectively by the wires 7.2, 70 to the conductors O and D which may be actuated manually by a key It; and with the latter I also associate two sets of normally closed (.OlltlCiSWit and. n, the former being interp ed in the wire 9 to cut out the local trouble alarm while the latter arranger in the wire 7& and serves to render the cen tral o-flice trouble indicator inoperative.

The relay E is sensitively adjusted and is constantly energized by the small current flowing from the battery X so that as long as the loop circuit of the signal bells is closed and is not grounded, the several sets of contacts on said relay are retained in open condition and in order to retain said relay E energized there is placed across the conductors C and D a high resistance winding E, the circuit thus formed being traceable as follows: battery X, conductor G, high resistance winding E, conductors D, D, relay E, conductor D to battery. in the event this circuit is destroyed the dropping of the armature of the relay E causes its four sets of contacts to close and the two upper pairs of contact springs 7f, 7t and complete the circuits which serve to "indicate the conditions of trouble at the central ofiice and also on the local trouble alarm circuit H and G, respectively. The closing of the other two pairs of contacts applies battery to both ends of the signal loop so that in case of a break in the latter the bells may be operated notwithstanding this apparent interruption of the circuit. To illustrate this let the dots in the lines representing the conductors D, D represent the severing oi said conductors, then upon the closing of the main circuit at either of the points a, 6 or at the points k, 76 current will traverse the following path: battery X, conductor 0, contacts a conductor D, wire y contacts e 1 wire y, conductor D, alarm mechanisms F F conductor D wire 00 contacts w, :21, wire 2: to battery. The other circuit by which the remaining signals are actuated may be traced from battery X, conductor C, contacts c conductors D, D, signaling devices If, I, to conductor D to battery.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a. modification of m invention in which I employ a galvanometer in the alarm circuit loop, the action of which upon failure of the required current in the circuit actuates the trouble alarm mechanisms. I have also shown a slightly different means for controlling the latter. In this illustration the alarm circuit conductors are indicated by C D, the automatic alarm box mechanism A B which control the respective pairs of contacts (4 and 72 The loop circuit controlling the alarm bells F F etc, comprises the extension D of the conductor D and the extension C of the conductor C and between which latter is inserted a battery X At the end of the loop formed by the conductors C D is a variable resistance coil D and also the coil. of a galvanometer comprising the pendulum c, the upper end of which traversing a scale 0 comprises a convenient means for visibly determining the condition of the circuit, while its lower end is adapted to cooperate with and open a pair of contacts whenever the strength of the current in the alarm loop C D falls below a prede termined voltage. The contacts last referred to are indicated by 0 0 and comprise the terminals of the wires 0 the former being connected with a conductor C and the latter after passing through the coil E is connected to the conductor D. The action or the pendulum of the galvanometer is strengthened by providing one of the pole pieces of the permanent magnet 0 with an adjustable screw 0 of soft iron, the mag netism of which serves to assist the pendulum in opening the contacts 0 0 when it swings into the magnetic field of the screw.

The coil E constitutes a relay which controls the local trouble alarm and the central station trouble indicator, the former being indicated by G and the latter by H". The circuit of the trouble indicator G comprises the local battery m supplying current to the wire connected with the con tact 7 and to the wire leading to the normally closed pair of contacts m and thence to the mate contact spring 9 of the spring Likewise the central station trouble indicator comprises the wires 71 and 71 in which. are interposed the normally closed pair of contacts n and the normally open contacts if and it on the relay E As before described the pairs of contacts m and a are arranged to be open by the operation of the key K when the latter is manipulated manually to close the pair of contacts 70 of the wires is and 70 for the purpose of actuating the alarm signals F F etc., independently of the fire alarm.

signal boxes A B.

It will be understood from the above that upon any interruption of the flow of the current over the loop circuit C, D the swinging of the galvanometer pendulum will open the pair of contacts 0 0 thus deenergizing the relay E and closing the pairs of contacts in the two trouble indicating circuits. In order to provide against the contingency of a ground being applied ,to either of the conductors C, D and in such an event cause the operation of the alarm signals I have provided an additional relay 0 of high resistance, one extremity of which is grounded over the wire 0, the other terminal thereof being connected by the wire 0 to an intermediate point between the terminals of the battery X. T he relay 0 is of high resistance and not energized except when there is an accidental grounding of one of the conductors C D consequently this relay maintains its two pairs of contacts in open or separated condition. The latter comprises the springs 7 o attached to wires 9 9 and the further contacts h and 72/ in the wires It and It.

The reason the bells or signals 1?, F etc, are not energized by the current flowing through the loop circuit and coils C and E is due to the fact that the relay E which constitutes a resistance cuts down the cur ent flow to a point less than that required to operate the bells.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a normally energized alarm circuit provided with alarm mechanism thereon, a resistance reducing the flow of current bridged to said circuit and a galvanometer arranged in the latter and acting to cut out said resistance upon a decrease in the flow of current below a predetermined voltage and indicating mech anism actuated by the deenergizing of the resistance.

2. The combination with a normally energized alarm circuit provided with alarm i'nechanism. and a resistance included in said circuit for normally rendering said mechanism inoperative. of a device for maintaining the flow of current under a constant test and serving to cut out said resistance when the flow of current drops below a given voltage and a circuit having trouble indicating mechanism adapted to be set into action upon the opening of the alarm circuit.

3. The combination with a main alarm circuit which is normally energized and provided with alarm mechanism, of means for testing the flow of current comprising a movable member, contacts arranged in said circuit and adapted to be opened by the movement of said member in one direction due to a fall in the potential of the current flowing in the main circuit, an independent circuit having trouble indicating devices and means for energizing said circuit when the main circuit is opened.

at. The combination with a main alarm circuit which is normally energized and provided with alarm mechanism, and also a relay coil of sutticient resistance to normally render the alarm mechanism inoperative, normally open cgntacts controlled by the relay and a local trouble indicating circuit extending from said contacts, of normally closed contacts in the main circuit and means controlled by current in the main circuit for opening said contacts when the flow of current falls below a predetermined voltage.

5. The combination with a main circuit normally energized and provided with alarm devices, a resistance for normally ren-- dering said devices inoperative, a trouble marm circuit having indicating devices normally maintained inoperative by the energized condition of the resistance, of testing apparatus for operating the alarm devices comprising normally open contacts adapted when closed to bridge the main circuit and shunt the resistance, normally closed contacts in the trouble circuit and means for opening the latter contacts when the former are closed.

6. The combination with a main circuit normally energized and provided with alarm devices, a resistance for normally rendering said devices inoperative, a trouble alarm circuit having indicating devices normally maintained inoperative by the energized condition of the resistance, a normally closed pair of contacts for opening the main circuit and means operating to open said closed contacts when the flow of current in the main circuit falls below a given voltage, of a manually operated testing mechanism for the main circuit comprising a normally open pair of contacts for controlling a branch circuit for short circuiting the resistance, a normally closed pair of contacts included in the trouble circuit and means for simultaneously reversing the condition of said pairs of contacts.

T. In a factory fire alarm and fire drill system, the combination with a main circuit continuously energized and provided with alarm devices and having resistances for rendering said devices normally inoperative, of normally open extension branches of said circuit, an automatic alarm box mechanism controlling one branch and means for manually controlling another to render the resistances inoperative and effect the operation otthe alarm devices,

8. In a factory lire alarm and fire drill system, the combination with a main circuit continuously energized and provided with alarm devices and having resistances for rendering said devices normally inoperative, of an automatic alarm impulse mechanism having normally open contacts arranged in a branch circuit and adapted when closed to render the resistance in the main circuit inoperative, a separate branch circuit having a normally open pair of test contacts adapted to be closed manually, a. local trouble circuit having a pair of closed contacts and a pair of open contacts which latter are normally held open by the energizing oi": the resistance, said pairs of test contacts and normally closed trouble contacts being arranged for simultaneous operati on and switch op erating member serving to open the latter and close the former.

9. The combination with a main alarm circuit, having a source of current supply therein, andalarm mechanisms connected thereto, of alarm despatching mechanisms, of a resistance in said circuit to prevent a normal operation of the alarm mechanisms but noneffective upon the operation of one of the alarm despatching mechanisms, normally open auxiliary circuits adapted to be closed upon the operation of one of the alarm despatching mechanisms, and manual means whereby said resistance may be made nonefiective and at the same time maintain said auxiliary circuits open.

10. The combination with a loop circuitprovided with a plurality of alarm receiving mechanisms, a relay coil in said circuit, 'a source of current supply in said circuit, of means for deenergizing said relay, sets of contacts under the control of said relay and normally contained in an open condition, and a plurality of auxiliary alarm circuits connected with said contacts, one of said circuits for local purposes and one for the transmission of an alarm to a central station.

11. The combination with a main loop circuit provided with alarm mechanisms, a resistance relay in said circuit to prevent the normal operation of said alarm mechanisms, normally open contacts under the control of said relay, an auxiliary alarm circuit under the control of said contacts and a second relay connected to one side of said loop circuit and to ground.

12. The combination with a main loop circuit provided with alarm mechanisms, a resistance relay in said circuit to prevent the normal operation of said alarm mechanisms. normally open contacts under the control of said relay, an auxiliary alarm circuit under the control of said contacts, a second relay connected to one side of said loop circuit and to ground, and normally open contacts under the control of said second relay and connected to the auxiliary alarm circuit aforesaid.

13. The combination with a main loop circuit provided With alarm mechanisms, a resistance relay in said circuit to prevent the normal operation of said alarm mechanisms, normally open contacts under the control of said relay, an auxiliary alarm circuit under the control of said contacts, a second relay connected to one side of said loop circuit and to ground, and normally open contacts under the control of said second relay and connected to the auxiliary alarm circuit aforesaid arranged to close said auxiliary alarm circuit upon the energization of said second 15 Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

